Title Every map should have a title. We need to know what the map is representing! Just like you, a map needs a name too! What’s my name? Who am I?

Compass A compass is a tool that helps the user know what direction he or she is headed. On a map, a compass or a compass rose helps the user locate direction.

Compass Rose The needle on a compass is magnetized to point to the Earth's magnetic north pole. Thus with a compass, a person can roughly tell which direction they are headed. There are four major or cardinal directions on a compass- north, south, east & west.

Directions The cardinal directions are north, south, east, and west. In between are the directions northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest. They help describe the location of places in relation to other places.

Scale It is the ratio between distances on a map and actual distances

Scale

Map Legends Religions Legend     Maps give information by using symbols.  Symbols can be figures, shapes, lines, and colors that show where places and things are on a map.  A map's legend tells you what the symbols mean.  Religions Legend

Can you understand this legend?

Age Expectancy Around the World Legend

Contour lines Connects points of equal elevation

Index contour Numbers representing elevation

Depression contour lines Lines that have short lines (hachures) at right angles to the contour lines to indicate depressions (lower elevation

Gradient The rate of change from place to place within a field, also called slope.